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Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Three: Saturday, November 02 - Seville Old City / Sailing the Guadalquivir

Note: About 2h walking and about 2.5 miles

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: This morning explore Seville by foot. Begin by walking the cobblestone streets of of Seville's oldest neighborhood, the Barrio Santa Cruz/Jewish quarter. End the morning exploring the Alcázar Royal Palace and gardens.

Lunch: Lunch on board.

Afternoon: After lunch the ship sails from Seville. Join your Study leader on deck as he comments on the sites of the city. Later, enjoy some time on deck to relax or soak in the small deck pool. While the ship follows the current of the Guadalquivir you see untouched nature, and where fields of cotton and rice sit side by side with extraordinary wildlife. Cruise past the famous Doñana National Park, declared a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, one of Europe's most important wetland reserves and a major site for migrating birds. Then participate in a presentation on "1492, More Than Columbus - the Reconquista of Spain." Examine the History of Spain from the arrival of the Moors until their ultimate expulsion from Iberia under the reign of Isabella and Ferdinand in 1492.

Dinner: Dinner on board.

Evening: Dock in Cádiz, and then by coach take a night tour to see some of Cadiz' best known monuments.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Four: Sunday, November 03 - Cadiz Market and Spanish Toros

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: This morning enjoy an expert-led discovery of Cádiz featuring the Plaza de Topete and the Mercado Central. This square is one of Cádiz's liveliest, bright with flower stalls and adjoins the large, animated Mercado Central (Central Market), the oldest covered market in Spain.

Lunch: Lunch on board.

Afternoon: Enjoy some free time on the deck as the ship cruises towards Puerto Santa Maria. From Santa Maria, depart for Jerez, famous for its horses and also as the birthplace of the famous Flamenco. Visit a family horse farm and a bull breeding site, or "ganadería", an ideal opportunity to find out more about the living symbols of Spanish culture "Bull Fighting and Horsemanship." Return on board in time for dinner and an evening with a Spanish theme.

Dinner: Dinner on board.

Evening: Spanish theme this evening. Ship set sails in the early morning for Barrameda.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Five: Monday, November 04 - Spanish Horsemanship & the Culture of Andalusia

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: Field Trip: Here we set off for our excursion to Jerez, Jerez is famous for its horses and also the birthplace of the famous Flamenco. After a short panoramic tour, we visit a family horse farm to see some of the finest horsemanship in Spain. We return on board in time for lunch

Lunch: Lunch on board.

Afternoon: After lunch enjoy some time to rest and relax on the deck and take in the scenery as you cruise back towards Seville. Then participate in a presentation on "Seville: Flamenco, Bull Fighting and the Culture of Andalusia."

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Six: Tuesday, November 05 - Columbus & Flamenco

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: Field Trip: Columbus - Preparing for the Journey: Huelva and its environs is a Mecca for those interested in Christopher Columbus, with a number of significant tourist attractions relating to the famous explorer. Cristóbal Colón (as he is known in Spain), south of Huelva city is the 15th-century Franciscan Monasterio de Santa María de la Rábida. La Rábida is where Columbus stayed between 1491-92 waiting for financial backing from the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, for his voyage to the New World. We end the morning in the nearby, Muelle de las Carabelas (Harbour of the Caravels) a waterfront exhibition with life-size replicas of Columbus's three ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María, built for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 1992.

Lunch: Back on board for lunch.

Afternoon: The Museum of Flamenco Dance is the key to access the magic world of flamenco dancing. Learn more about Andalusian culture and experience flamenco dancing. All are invited to participate in a Flamenco dance class.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Seven: Wednesday, November 06 - Seville - The Story & Myth of the Toreador

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza is considered the oldest and grandest of Bull fighting rings in Spain, and Seville is often called the birthplace of this Spanish sport. This morning study the culture & myth of the Toreador. NOTE: We will not see an actual Bullfight presentation.

Lunch: Lunch on board.

Afternoon: This afternoon is free to explore on your own or rest on board the ship.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Eight: Thursday, November 07 - Córdoba Mosque & Church

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: This morning coach to Córdoba and explore this ancient city. The Cathedral of Córdoba, popularly known as the Mosque of Córdoba, or the "Mezquita", stands over a Christian church built in the Visigothic period (5th C). After the Moorish conquest of Spain, it was used as a Mosque. From 786 to 988 the original church was rebuilt into a Grand Mosque. Following Córdoba's fall to Saint Ferdinand III in 1236 (after over 500 years of use as a mosque), the site was reconsecrated Christian, and a cathedral erected in the center of the mosque in 1523. It is the foremost Islamic monument in Spain and a unique example of the inter-play of Christian and Moslem cultures in Spain.
Field trip - Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos Just southwest of the Mezquita (Mosque), the Alcázar, or Castle of the Christian Monarchs, began as a palace and fort for Alfonso X in the 13th century. From 1490 to 1821 the Inquisition operated from here. Today the castle’s gardens are among the most beautiful in Andalucía. The building houses an old royal bathhouse, the Baños Califales. Take time to gaze at the 3rd-century Roman sarcophagus, with its reflections on life and death.

Lunch: Lunch in the old city.

Afternoon: This afternoon explore the Museum of Inquisition. Situated in the heart of Córdoba's historic Judería Quarter, this museum takes you on a journey through one of Spain's and Europe's darkest chapters - the massive use of torture to enforce confessions between 13th and 19th centuries.

Description: The Hotel is located in Granada's commercial and historical center, 5 minutes from the Cathedral, 10 minutes from the Alhambra and 500 meters from the Convention Center.
Distance between hotel and the points of interest:
- In the historical city centre
- In the commercial centre
- In the financial centre
- In the fairground
- 500 m. from the Palacio de Congresos
- 15 km. from the airport
- 2 km. from the train station
- 3 km. from the bus station
- 7 km. from the golf course
- 60 km. from the port

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Nine: Friday, November 08 - Granada's Arab District, Sacromonte and the Gypsy...

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: Disembark the ship and transfer to Granada. On the drive to Granada learn about the importance of Granada as a center of learning, and the contribution of the Moors to Spanish and World Culture. Upon arrival, explore Historic Granada in the old Arab Quarter, known as the Albaicín. It comprises the area between the hill of the Alhambra, the hill of San Cristóbal, the Sacromonte and Elvira. The Albaicín is like a different world within Granada due to its strong Muslim influence and was the place where the first Ziríd court was built in the eleventh century.

Lunch: Lunch in town.

Afternoon: Learn about the life and history of the Gypsies in Granada and in Spain. Continue to the Sacromonte, Granada's traditional Gypsy Quarter, which rises above the Albaicín. It is a tight-knit community with its own traditions and art forms. Most of the dwellings on this hillside high above the city were carved out of the hard-packed lime soil between the late 19th and mid-20th century as inexpensive, quickly constructed housing for people relocating from the countryside.

Dinner: Check into hotel. Dinner on your own in Sacromonte Quarter or around the hotel.

Description: The Hotel is located in Granada's commercial and historical center, 5 minutes from the Cathedral, 10 minutes from the Alhambra and 500 meters from the Convention Center.
Distance between hotel and the points of interest:
- In the historical city centre
- In the commercial centre
- In the financial centre
- In the fairground
- 500 m. from the Palacio de Congresos
- 15 km. from the airport
- 2 km. from the train station
- 3 km. from the bus station
- 7 km. from the golf course
- 60 km. from the port

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Ten: Saturday, November 09 - Granada - The Alhambra

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Explore the Alhambra and the Generalife Gardens. The Alhambra is more than a just a palace; it is an entire walled city within the city of Granada. There are royal apartments, forts, gardens, pavilions, barracks... All this surrounded by an impressive wall. Explore this site and imagine it coming to life 1000 years ago.

Lunch: Lunch on your own in downtown Granada

Afternoon: Free time in Granada for you to explore on your own. The city offers so much all within walking distance. Spend the afternoon exploring at your own pace.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

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The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!